Piper PA-12 accident near Loman, Minnesota, August 3, 1991
On August 3, 1991 at about 11:33 pm local time, a Piper PA-12, registered CFAOQ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Loman, Minnesota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS MISJUDGED BY THE PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 1991 · about 11:33 pm local time
- Place
- Loman, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- CFAOQ · no longer on the register · serial 12-2024
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT DURING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THE ENGINE FAILED. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS ATTEMPTED ON AN UNIMPROVED RURAL AREA WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. THE PILOT SAID THAT POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE FUEL TANKS TO BE EMPTY OF USABLE FUEL.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,670 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 129 in the last 90 days; 96 in the last 30 days; 1,595 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,961 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, July 28, 1991; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 48Y Piney Pine MN at 7:00 pm
- Destination: INL Int'L Falls MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,500 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:50 pm from INL, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.